Beyond Primary Care: Choosing a Medical Specialist

Most people use a family physician, internist, obstetrician-gynecologist, or pediatrician as their primary care doctor. Primary care doctors, sometime called
generalists
, manage their patients’ healthcare and help them make medical decisions when problems arise.

However, sometimes a person develops a medical problem that requires a physician with a more narrow focus. These
specialists
have received additional training to become experts in a specific field, and they see far more patients with conditions related to their area of expertise than their generalist colleagues. Examples of specialists include oncologists (for cancer), cardiologists (for heart disease), and surgeons.

If you have a medical condition that requires specialty care, your primary care doctor will likely make a recommendation of whom to see, which you may simply choose to accept. However, there are many specialists out there, and you may wish to do your own investigation to determine which one is best for you.

Make a List of Specialists

The first step is to make a list of potential candidates. Your friends, family members, or coworkers may know of a trusted specialist.
Fortunately, there are also a number of organizations and services that can provide you with a list of medical or surgical specialists from which to choose:

Insurance companies—your insurance provider should be able to provide you with a list of specialists that are covered under your plan

Local hospitals—their patient referral services can provide a list of specialists that practice in that hospital

Local medical societies—they may have lists of doctors in different specialties

Public and medical libraries—they usually have print directories of doctors in different specialties

Local phone books—local specialists are listed under the heading “Physicians”

Doctors or other health professionals—doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who work with specialists may be able to provide recommendations

Narrow Your List

Once you have made a list of specialists in your area, you will need to narrow it to two or three doctors who meet your specific needs. Below is a list of factors you may want to consider when choosing a specialist. Prioritizing this list and adding to it will help you choose the right doctor for you.

Training and Background

Before choosing a doctor, you may find it helpful to learn more about how doctors are trained and how you can find out what kind of training your doctor has. Doctors receive four years of undergraduate education, four years of medical school (where they earn their Medical Degree [MD]), and 3-7 years of postgraduate medical training that includes internships and residencies. Doctors must pass a state exam to be legally permitted to practice medicine in their state. Specialist doctors completed their residency and specialtytraining in a specific area (fellowship), such as oncology or surgery. Doctors can even choose to "subspecialize" and complete at least one more year of training in a particular area of a specialty. Never hesitate to ask a doctor about their training, interests, and background with your condition or concern.

Ratings by Consumer and Other Organizations

More and more doctors are being rated by consumer organizations and other groups devoted to quality healthcare. One such service,
Best Doctors
, uses a national survey method to solicit doctor recommendations from other prominent doctors. Other online services like this are
Rate MDs
, and
HealthGrades
. While this information can be extremely useful, it should not be the only criteria used to judge a physician, since these organizations may rely on rating systems that are not entirely accurate or fair.

Privileges at Certain Hospitals

If you want to be treated at a specific hospital, narrow your list to only those doctors who practice at that hospital. Keep in mind that if you are looking for a surgeon, they can only be as good as the technical support the hospital provides. Therefore, it is important to know how many of
your
surgical procedures the hospital performs per year, and what the patient outcomes are.

Coverage by Health Plans

Unless you are prepared to pay for your treatment out-of-pocket (which is simply not an option for most of us), consider doctors who are covered by your health plan. If you use a federal or state health insurance program, such as Medicare, be sure to ask the office staff or doctor if they are accepting patients using these programs.

Membership in a Medical Society

Almost all specialists are members of a medical society, such as the American College of Surgeons. Doctors who have
fellowship
status in a medical society have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their profession in the eyes of their colleagues.

Language

Ideally, your doctor should to be able to speak the same language you do. For non-English speakers, this will not often be the case. If you cannot directly communicate with your specialist, it essential that you find a practice and hospital that have high quality translation services.

Decide on a Specialist

When you have identified one or more specialists who meet your needs, the next step is to make an appointment. If your list includes more than one doctor, call each doctor’s office and ask what regular office hours are, how long it takes to get an appointment, what the typical wait in the doctor’s office is, whether the doctor or nurses give advice over the phone, and any other questions that are important to you.

When you visit your specialist for the first time, bring a list of questions. You want to be completely comfortable with your doctor, since you will be working closely with them when making decisions about your treatment.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

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